Hi there! Today I’m offering a review and a Sneak Peak of Chelsea Fine‘s newest release BEST KIND OF BROKEN, a contemporary New Adult romance organized by InkSlinger Promotions. The book releases March 4th, but you can start your engines, folks. It’s a bumpy ride!

SOMETIMES MOVING ON MEANS MOVING IN

Pixie Marshall wishes every day she could turn back time and fix the past. But she can’t. And the damage is done. She’s hoping that a summer of free room and board working with her aunt at the Willow Inn will help her forget. Except there’s a problem: the resident handyman is none other than Levi Andrews. The handsome quarterback was once her friend-and maybe more–until everything changed in a life-shattering instant. She was hoping to avoid him, possibly forever. Now he’s right down the hall and stirring up feelings Pixie thought she’d long buried . . .

Levi can’t believe he’s living with the one person who holds all his painful memories. More than anything he wants to make things right, but a simple “sorry” won’t suffice–not when the tragedy that scarred them was his fault. Levi knows Pixie’s better off without him, but every part of him screams to touch her, protect her, wrap her in his arms, and kiss away the pain. Yet even though she’s so close, Pixie’s heart seems more unreachable than ever. Seeing those stunning green eyes again has made one thing perfectly clear–he can’t live without her.

“By turns humorous and heartbreaking, Best Kind Of Broken has become one of my favorites!”
— CORA CARMACK, New York Times bestselling author of Losing It.

“You’ll fall for Pixie and Levi, just like I did!”
— JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT (J. Lynn), #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait For You

“Tangled with friendship, history and heartbreak–not to mention a huge dose of humor–Chelsea Fine’s New Adult novel is not to be missed! Beyond an incredibly HOT read, Pixie and Levi’s longing for each other will have
you rooting for them till the very end.”
— JAY CROWNOVER, New York Times bestselling author of Rule

“This book destroyed me. Tore me into little tiny pieces. But somehow with lots of laughs and some very steamy times, Chelsea put me back together again! Chelsea Fine’s style is witty, visceral and fresh. All I wanted to do was crawl inside this book and live with the characters. And now all I want is MORE.”
— CHELSEA M. CAMERON, New York Times bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake

“Sandwiched between laugh out loud moments and some serious heat, Best Kind of Broken is an unforgettable story of loss and forgiveness that will leave your heart aching.”
— LISA DESROCHERS, USA Today bestselling author of A Little Too Far

 My Review:

Levi and Pixie are long-time friends. They’ve grown up around each other, by virtue of Pixie being BFF’s with Levi’s younger sister, Charity. Pixie’s life hasn’t been good. Her mother–a teen mom filled with regret over the loss of her youth and boyfriend–she has resented Pixie and been emotionally abusive from a young age. Needing love, Pixie took refuge with Charity’s close-knit family and grew to love them all in return–especially Levi who was her steadfast hero. Just as they seem to connect, there’s a horrific accident. Levi and Pixie are plagued with guilt and shame, and Charity is dead.

Fast forward 10 months: Levi’s family has broken up. He’s dropping out of college and none of the family has spoken to Pixie. Isolated without Charity and her family’s love, Pixie refuses to spend her summer at home with her own mother. Instead, she turns to her aunt for a summer job–without knowing that Levi’s already living at her Bed & Breakfast and working as a handyman. Now Pixie’s longtime crush and former friend is her next-door neighbor.

Levi hasn’t handled the implosion of his family well, but it’s even harder for him to see Pixie–the one girl he absolutely adores who bears physical scars from his bad decision–in such close quarters; they share a bathroom. Desperate to talk with her, but unwilling to venture into serious territory, he stoops to antagonizing her, stupid tricks like using up all the hot water in the shower to irritate her into conversation.

Their friends work to get each of them to return to their pre-tragedy life plans, but it’s so difficult to let go of the guilt. Still, their close interactions lead to mini confessions, tiny breakthroughs, and finally the healing  emotional purge they both need. Building on these small successes, Levi is empowered to contact his parents and let them know how betrayed he has felt since they moved away from him and each other. This opens the lines of communication leading to a reconciliation for their family.

Just when we think Levi and Pixie are going to make it, another curve ball–in the form of a college transfer–gets tossed out. Will Pixie move to New York and start over? Or, will she stay in Arizona with the only family she’s ever loved?

It’s a strong story with plenty of snarky humor and personal tragedy. Levi and Pixie make a wonderful couple, and it’s easy to see how their plans got so jumbled. Dealing with trauma is complicated, and many people pull away from those they love in an act of self-defense. For Pixie, her abandonment by Charity’s family is just as hard to accept as it is for Levi. It was good to see that all of these relationships were repaired during the summer. I liked the story. The sexual tension between Pixie and Levi is palpable. Watchingtheir love story come together, and apart and together again was very satisfying. Due to the alternating point of view I could feel their pain and triumph. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Interested? You can find BEST KIND OF BROKEN at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

If you’d like to read an exclusive EXCERPT, click here. 

ABOUT CHELSEA FINE:

Chelsea lives in Phoenix, Arizona where she spends most of her time writing stories, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs. She’s ridiculously bad at doing dishes and claims to be allergic to laundry. Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks. She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen.

 You can catch up with Chelsea on her website, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Goodreads.

If you have the chance to read BEST KIND OF BROKEN remember to come back and tell me if you liked it!

Keep reading my friends!